Fiat Idea Owner's Handbook Manual page 180

Exterior plastic parts must be cleaned in
the same way as the rest of the car.
Where possible, do not park under trees;
the resinous substance many species re-
lease give the paint a dull appearance and
increase the possibility of triggering rust
processes.
IMPORTANT Bird droppings must be wa-
shed off immediately and thoroughly as the
acid they contain is particularly aggressi-
ve.
Windows
Use specific window cleaner products. Al-
so use clean cloths to avoid scratching the
glass or damaging the transparency.
IMPORTANT Wipe the rear window in-
side gently with a cloth in the direction
of the filaments to avoid damaging the hea-
ting device.
Front headlights
IMPORTANT Never use aromatic sub-
stances (e.g.: petrol) or ketenes (e.g.: ace-
tone) for cleaning front headlight plastic
lens.
Engine compartment
At the end of every winter, wash the en-
gine compartment thoroughly, taking ca-
re not to aim the jet of water directly at
the electronic control units or at the
windscreen wiper motors. Have this ope-
ration performed at a specialised work-
shop.
IMPORTANT Perform this operation on
a cold engine and with the key at STOP.
After the washing operation, make sure
that the various protections (e.g. rubber
caps and guards) have not removed or da-
maged.
Detergents pollute the envi-
ronment. The vehicle should
be washed in areas equipped
for collecting and purifying
the liquid used in the washing process.
WARNING
Never use flammable pro-
ducts, such as petrol ether or
rectified petrol to clean inside the car.
The electrostatic charges which are
generated by rubbing during the clea-
ning operation may cause a fire.
179